Multilevel expansion of grids

Project state

Started

Logo for the KonVeTrO research project

The power grid in Germany is facing major challenges. On the one hand, increasingly more decentralised electricity generators are feeding power into the low- and medium-voltage grids. On the other hand, the transport of energy over long distances is unavoidable in order to transport, for example, energy generated offshore to the load centres. Within this context, the joint KonVeTrO project is investigating how the energy supply system must be expanded in order to meet these challenges.

A special feature here is that while many optimisation approaches only deal with optimising an individual grid level or control zone, the KonVeTrO researchers are working on a planning method that considers the transmission, distribution and overlay grids at the same time. This is known in this context as vertically integrated, multilevel grid planning. It is intended to enable the improved division between the distribution, transmission and overlay grids. To achieve this, the researchers are transferring scientific methods and instruments from transportation logistics to the supply of electrical energy and are developing them further. By taking this approach, the team led by lead scientists Professor Rehtanz and Professor Alex Vastag would like to demonstrate the potential for integrating transport logistic planning concepts in the traditional planning of electrical power grids.